San Bernardino County should be able to proceed with its attempt to share the burden of a $102 million legal settlement without waiting for a related criminal case to be resolved, a judge said Thursday.

Democrats would outnumber Republicans by at least five percentage points in 51 Assembly, 26 Senate and 36 congressional districts in final draft remaps to be voted on today by the state’s redistricting panel.

The Colton school district has hired back 43 of the 57 teachers it laid off in May as it prepares for the opening of the new school year next week.

A nurse and 21 secondary school teachers were re-hired this week, Colton Joint Unified School District spokeswoman Katie Orloff said, joining 22 elementary school teachers rehired over the last two weeks.

Jim Erwin, the one-time sheriff’s deputy who rose in the tumultuous world of San Bernardino County politics to be a union boss, developer’s consultant, political operative and supervisor’s chief of staff, saw himself as “a consummate insider,” former Supervisor Bill Postmus testified to a grand jury this spring.

A judge is expected to make a final ruling today on whether to delay San Bernardino County Flood Control District’s effort to recoup $102 million connected to a legal settlement tainted by bribery allegations.

District Attorney Michael A. Ramos on Thursday again called on San Bernardino County leaders to set limits on campaign contributions to thwart political corruption that has plagued the county for at least 20 years.

VICTORVILLE • In his State of the County address to the Victorville Chamber of Commerce Wednesday, First District Supervisor Brad Mitzelfelt will discuss county issues including transportation, education, economic development and the Countywide Vision.

Tired of presidential candidates treating California like an ATM, raising vast sums of money here but spending it in states where campaigns cost less and matter more, state officials four years ago agreed to hold the 2008 primary in February.